Bale looks to tame Inter again in Europa League

By STEVE DOUGLAS , Associated Press

Mar. 6, 20139:41 AM ET

LONDON (AP) — Tottenham winger Gareth Bale grabbed the attention of the footballing world and destroyed the reputation of one of the game's top right backs the last time he came up against Inter Milan.

Kirsty Wigglesworth

Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring a goal against Arsenal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Arsenal at Tottenham's White Hart Lane stadium in London, Sunday, March 3, 2013. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring a goal against Arsenal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Arsenal at Tottenham's White Hart Lane stadium in London, Sunday, March 3, 2013. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale controls the ball during a training session at their centre in Enfield, England, Wednesday, March 6, 2013. Tottenham Hotspur will play Inter Milan at White Hart Lane Stadium, London in a Europa League match on Thursday. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale, left, and Jan Vertonghen warm up during a training session at their centre in Enfield, England, Wednesday, March 6, 2013. Tottenham Hotspur will play Inter Milan at White Hart Lane Stadium, London in a Europa League match on Thursday. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The teams meet again on Thursday — and there's no danger of Bale flying under the radar this time.

The Wales winger's goalscoring exploits for Spurs this season are receiving global acclaim and he has scored 10 times in his last eight matches heading into the first leg of the Europa League's standout last-16 match.

"He's one of the best players in the world at the moment, and probably the best in the world for me right now," Tottenham captain Michael Dawson said. "Some of the things he does would have (Cristiano) Ronaldo blush."

In 2010, Bale scored a hat trick in Spurs' 4-3 loss to Inter in a Champions League group game at the San Siro. In the return match at White Hart Lane, Bale tore apart the Inter defense in Tottenham's 3-1 win, humiliating right back Maicon time and again.

Home fans were singing "Taxi for Maicon" long before the final whistle and it can be argued that the Brazilian hasn't been the same player since.

Inter's defenders will know what to expect on Thursday and are sure to keep a close eye on Bale, who has been urged to play in a more central position in recent matches by manager Andre Villas-Boas rather than being stuck out on the left wing.

Inter, meanwhile, has been preoccupied by the antics of one of its own stars.

Antonio Cassano was dropped from the squad for Sunday's win over Catania in Serie A after a training ground scuffle with manager Andrea Stramaccioni. The Italy striker is back in contention now, though, and should start on Thursday.

"It's only normal that there will be a few discussions, especially when the results aren't coming and the tension is high," Inter midfielder Stankovic said. "As Esteban Cambiasso said, let's pretend Cassano was suspended and now he's back. It happened, but it wasn't so serious.

"In fact, I try to look on the positive side and I say this was good for Inter, as sometimes you need a little shake-up."

Inter will need Cassano on top form, having already lost another forward, Diego Milito, for the season with a knee injury.

Spurs are likely to be without striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who hurt his right knee in the 2-1 win over Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

There will be a new name on the Europa League trophy after the elimination of Atletico Madrid by Rubin Kazan in the last 32.

Kazan's reward is a match against Levante, which is in freefall in the Spanish league after losing five of its last eight matches but was impressive in its 4-0 aggregate win over Olympiakos in the Europa League's first knockout stage.

Chelsea, the reigning European champion, travels to Steaua Bucharest, with under-fire manager Rafa Benitez likely to rotate his side again in view of Sunday's FA Cup match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

He will not be underestimating Steaua, however, after the Romanian side eliminated Ajax in the last 16.

"We have to go to Bucharest before we can concentrate on this (United) game," Benitez said. "Both games are important."

Stuttgart and Lazio will both be missing their top strikers when they meet at VfB Arena, with Vedad Ibisevic suspended for the home side and Germany international Miroslav Klose out for the visitors with a right knee injury.

LONDON (AP) — Tottenham winger Gareth Bale grabbed the attention of the footballing world and destroyed the reputation of one of the game's top right backs the last time he came up against Inter Milan.